Toothpaste Abrasiveness

The toothpaste you are using may be wearing away the enamel and dentin on your teeth, especially at the gumline! The use of “grit” in toothpaste is not unlike the use of grit on sandpaper. The more grit there is, the more effective it is at removing stain and plaque. Unfortunately, a significant downside is the destruction of tooth structure.

There is an abrasive index for toothpastes called the RDA Index. The higher the value, the more abrasive it is. At or below 45 may be acceptable balance between benefit and risk if you must use toothpaste. Over 45 is a matter of how quickly the loss of tooth structure can occur based on the RDA, frequency of use, type of toothbrush and brushing technique. If you don’t know the RDA of your toothpaste, you can find out by using the consumer contact information on the package or container. The following list gives the RDA index of just some of the many toothpastes that exist today.

Powered toothbrush users should avoid toothpastes from near the bottom of the list. Long term use of such toothpastes might wear down your enamel.

Pay attention to pressure. If the bristles look mashed down, you are brushing way too hard. The bristles on your old toothbrush should look just as parallel as on your new toothbrush. Don’t brush so hard and your teeth will thank you for it.